A Vintage-Style, DIY Wedding at Richland Township Community Park Barn in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania

For Jessica (28 and an interior design assistant) and Chris (29 and a project estimator for a home builder), flexibility and camaraderie were the keys to their wedding planning. “We wanted the day to feel more like a family picnic than a wedding,” Jessica says. The day began with the ceremony at a historical location—Old Economy Village—and the reception took place at Richland Township Community Park Barn in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. Themes of the wedding were rooted in the 1950s, farms and apple pie. “One night, a friend of ours dubbed our theme ‘1950s Americana,’ and I added ‘plus apple—lots and lots of apples.’ ” The DIY affair was planned completely by the couple and included personal touches like the self-designed stationery, handmade bouquets and a backdrop for the ceremony. “I didn’t want to be stuck with items included in a package that I didn’t want,” Jessica said. “I wanted to be able to choose the plates, the caterer, say no to cake if I wanted to, make my own schedule.” These checklist items were major factors in location scouting. —Allie Volpe